Relief provided by your donations to the Israel Emergency Relief Fund

Where are the funds going?

By Rosalee Bogo, 2024 Annual Community Campaign Chair

The war, which started on Oct. 7, 2023, has been devastating. The outpouring of love and funds from the Jewish community here in Naples and throughout the United States has been amazing. At the end of the first week, Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) set a goal of $500 million. As of the writing of this article, just under $800 million has been raised. In Naples alone, more than $1 million was raised. But how is this money being used?

For many decades, the Jewish Agency For Israel (JAFI) has had a victims of terrorists fund. Each family receives approximately $1,500 within the first week of the terror attack. Over 8,500 grants have been made from this fund. Obviously, keeping this funded and setting aside money for the possibility of more attacks has been the very first use of our dollars.

The next immediate use has been helping those who have had unexpected expenses because of the war. At least 140,000 elderly, 4,600 people with disabilities, 69,000 new immigrants (some fleeing the war in Ukraine), 25,000 Holocaust survivors and 61,000 Bedouins have all received assistance in their fight to stay afloat during the distributions that have occurred. These are overwhelming numbers, but so is the support we have received from you!

Medical needs are high. Medical equipment has been purchased from all over the world and shipped into Israel, and 1.7 million individuals have received medical care because of the war! At least 19,000 workers have needed extra training in health care and mental health services, and 49,000 individuals have received mental health services. We know that the need for mental health services will continue for many years.

The economy has taken a huge hit. Workers from the U.S. and throughout the world have stepped in to help take the place of people who are fighting and those who are gone. The rebuilding effort has just begun for the economy and a large chunk of money is being used to make interest-free loans to businesses affected by the war.

Israelis in the south and the north have had to evacuate their homes. Of the 240,000 people evacuated, half do not know if, or when, they will be able to return. Those homes, many of them totally destroyed and some partially destroyed, need to be rebuilt. By Feb. 1, more than 1,000 homes had been rebuilt and another 1,000 were under construction. There is no waiting; there is no hesitation; the Israelis just got to work and started the rebuilding process, thanks to the immediate funds that have been raised. Those who do not want to return to the area are being given money to permanently relocate, with new construction in the lower Negev moving at a breakneck speed. All of this is thanks to the money raised here.

This war has affected every single person in Israel. Rebuilding and rehabilitation are where we can be most helpful. And we are – thanks to you!